A Hollywood legend will soon take to the stage at Anvil Centre Theatre.
The theatre has announced an exclusive two-night engagement of A Man and His Prostrate by Ed Weinberger starring Ed Asner, an Emmy Award-winning actor known for roles on Mary Tyler Moore and Lou Grant. A Man and His Prostate comes to New West on April 27 and 28 at 7:30 p.m., with these being Asner’s only B.C. performances in a show billed as being funny with a serious subject matter.
“Based on a true story, a man discovers his inner self both literally and figuratively,” said a press release about the show. “A near tragedy experienced by the writer is masterly transformed into a one-man comedy performed by Asner as he goes through the journey of preparing for a surgery he needs but doesn’t want.”
Tickets are $75 each plus services charge, and are available at 604-521-5050.
Pretty picture
If you wondered who took the lovely photo accompanying last weeks’ Top 7 weekend picks, wonder no more.
New Westminster poet and writer Franci Louann took the shot, Mary Looking at Mary, at the opening of the Portraits by Gabor Gasztonyi exhibit at the Plaskett Gallery at Massey Theatre. The exhibit runs until March 30 at the gallery that’s open Tuesday to Friday from 1 to 5 pm. and during performances at the Massey Theatre, 735 Eighth Ave.
Ambassador visits Royal City
Lorrie Williams recently recruited Kenya’s High commissioner to attend a special dinner in the Royal City.
John Lanyasunya, Kenya’s high commissioner to Canada, attended a dinner at St. Barnabas Church on March 8 in honour of International Women’s Day. More than 60 people attended the event that also included a silent auction and a raffle.
Long before becoming a city councillor, Williams founded the Canadian Harambee Education Society (CHES) to help improve the quality of life of women and their communities in Kenya and Tanzania by providing secondary education scholarships for girls who couldn’t afford to pay secondary school fees. When she learned Lanyasunya would be in Vancouver to attend the World Rugby Sevens Series, she invited him to speak at a CHES dinner.
“He came, very graciously and gave a talk about what’s happening in Kenya. It was international Women’s Day,” Williams said. “He highlighted what the Kenyan government is doing and it seems like they are ahead of us. They have said that one-third of all of their elected boards have to be female. It is mandated. He agrees with women’s education – that is why he was pleased to speak at the Harambee dinner.”
More information about CHES can be found at www.canadianharambee.ca.
A rite of spring
For many Royal City residents, the City of New Westminster’s hanging basket courses are a spring ritual.
In the annual courses, the city shares the secrets of its beautiful hanging baskets and provides folks with all the supplies and instruction they need to take home an 18-inch ($76) or 14-inch ($66) basket – including the infamous wick and watering pan. Classes are being offered on Wednesday, April 25 (noon to 2 pm.), Saturday, May 5 (2 to 4 p.m.), Thursday, May 10 (6:30 to 8:30 p.m.) and Saturday, May 19 (9 to 11 a.m.)
All classes take place in the Queen’s Park greenhouse complex. To register, call 604-777-5111.
Salmon advocate enters hall of fame
A longtime salmon advocate and scientist is the latest inductee into the Fraser River hall of Fame.
The Fraser River Discovery Centre Society has announced that Pacific Salmon Foundation president and CEO Brian Riddell is the 2018 indictee into its hall of fame. The hall of fame gala dinner and induction will take place on Thursday, May 17 at Fraser River Discovery Centre.
“Dr. Riddell has been the leading scientist, fundraiser and voice of the iconic wild Pacific salmon that return to the Fraser River for 40 years now,” said Kathleen Higgins, chair of the Fraser River Discovery Centre Society. “As such, he is a worthy inductee into our Fraser River Hall of Fame.”
Since 2009, Riddell has led the Pacific Salmon Foundation, an independent nongovernmental organization dedicated to creating a sustainable future for wild Pacific salmon and their habitat. He previously worked for 30 years in various scientific research and management positions with the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans and was a scientific lead in the creation of Canada’s policy for conservation of wild Pacific salmon.
“I am honoured to be inducted into the Fraser River Hall of Fame,” he said in a press release. “The Fraser River has the greatest diversity of salmonids in the world, which makes it a Canadian treasure. As such, it is a great honour to be recommended by the centre and to join the past inductees.”
A community mourns
A man known to Record readers for his colourful opinions on a variety of issues recently passed away from cancer.
While E.C. Ted Eddy moved to Coquitlam a few years ago, his heart remained in the Royal City, where he was involved in groups like the Quayside Community Board and the Hyack Festival Association.
“He was part of the Hyack membership,” says friend Maureen Albanese. “He always used to have his T-Bird in the Hyack Parade. He had a convertible T-Bird. He loved doing that.”
Eddy was also involved in the Raymond Burr Performing Arts Society and was part of a group that submitted a proposal to buy the former Raymond Burr Performing Arts Theatre (now the Columbia Theatre). He was also involved with the society’s annual disbursement of entrance awards of distinction to students at Douglas College and helped organize a celebration in honour of Raymond Burr’s 100th birthday in May 2017.
“He is going to be missed,” said Albanese.
Regular readers of the Record’s editorial pages may remember Eddy’s sometimes colourful opinions on a variety of topics such as the Anvil Centre, development and the Hyack Festival Association.
A celebration of life is being held on Sunday, April 8 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Westwood Recreation Centre community room, 1190 Pipeline Rd., Coquitlam (in the recreation building near the pool). Eddy’s friends and relatives are invited to attend and are encouraged to wear something green in his honour.
